Several conventional vehicle security systems include a security controller connected to a wireless transceiver that communicates with a communications network to send an alert message to a monitoring station in response to a security breach. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,737,989 and 6,844,827 to Flick disclose a communication network in communication with a vehicle security system, which includes a controller connected to a position-determining device and a wireless transceiver. If the controller determines a security breach has occurred, it then sends an alert message via the wireless transceiver to a monitoring station or to a user via the communications network. The alert message may be generated by the controller based on the vehicle moving beyond a radial threshold distance from a user selected reference location, for example.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,297,768; 6,476,763; 6,484,035; and 6,710,738 to Allen, Jr. disclose a vehicle security system wirelessly connected to a communications network. The vehicle security system includes a controller connected to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a vehicle switch, and a wireless transceiver. The controller is asleep until the wireless transceiver or the vehicle switch sends a wake-up signal to the controller. The controller then reports the location of the vehicle based upon the GPS receiver via the wireless transceiver to a monitoring station connected to the communications network.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,847,825 and 6,876,858 to Duvall et al. disclose a vehicle security system including a vehicle tracking unit cooperating with a monitoring station via a communications network to locate a vehicle. The vehicle tracking unit includes a controller cooperating with a GPS receiver and a wireless transceiver. After a user calls the monitoring station, the monitoring station queries the vehicle security system via the communications network, which activates the GPS receiver. The activated GPS receiver determines the vehicle location and forwards this data to the monitoring station via the wireless transceiver using the communications network.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,497 to Robert discloses a mobile tracking system for a vehicle including a security controller connected to a wireless transmitter for sending an alert message to a communications network that an initiation state for tracking the vehicle has occurred. The system includes a plurality of mobile stations in communication with the wireless transmitter, and each mobile station includes a position-determining device. The system locates and tracks the vehicle based on signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter using a triangulation algorithm and data generated by each position-determining device.
Other references disclose the combination of a cellular communications device communicating with a cellular mobile radiotelephone system to send an acknowledgment message to confirm receipt of a paging message. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,526,401 and 5,546,444 to Roach, Jr. et al., and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,144 and 6,125,275 to Comer et al. disclose a cellular mobile radiotelephone system including a paging acknowledgment system that can confirm reception of a transmitted paging message. The paging acknowledgment system includes a communications system, remote communications devices, and a mobile switching center. The remote communications device responds to a message containing its particular address by transmitting an acknowledgment message to the mobile switching center, which forwards the acknowledgment message to the communications system.
Unfortunately, such conventional vehicle security systems may result in redundant or unnecessary communication between the vehicle security system and the communications network. Such unnecessary communications may result in greater operational cost of the vehicle security system as well as inconvenience for the user.